AWF Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker SOLD

AWF Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker SOLD

10.00

Stoneware pot

Producer: Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker

Country: Norway

Year: 1950´s

Signature: AWF Norge Håndarbeide 1284/III

Size: H. 15cm, Ø. 16cm

Object no: 437

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Arnold Wiig started his career in ceramics making pressed flower pots and a few years later in 1943 together with his brother-in-law, Albert Larsson, he founded the company Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker. The first years were troublesome, facing lack of good materials and skilled labour. In 1945 AWF collaborated with the Danish company Syberg Olsen & Co and AWF got a licence to manufacture a popular pot made by the Danish company called the SYCO-pot. It was an immense success and AWF had to start a new enterprise in Strömstad, Sweden to meet the demand.

The pot was a cash-cow during the first post-war years, but in the 1950s the demand fell. The company's financial situation was strong and the ceramic production rose. The manager Nils Bjerén diversified the production and the company now started to make reservoir pens and toys, but the venture was not successful. Lighting products were also manufactured.

The ceramic production was still a good business and the company's position and the share of the Norwegian market was big. The artists of the workforce, a strength of the company, were: William Knutzen, Hilding Brask Danielsen, Arne Clausen, Arnold Rakeng, Willy Skogmann and Elsa Dahl and from Denmark Rut Mäkelä and Eva Hase and from The Netherlands Otto Mulders.

The Swinging Sixties was not that good for the company due to fires and it was being held back from further expansion by a lack of capital. In 1966 the finance company Incentive took over the business and Arnold Wiig, the founder, left and in 1969 Bjørn Fagerlie bought it and the factory had then about 20 employees. Due to a rise in international competition and a fire in 1977 the company closed.